Why We Partner With Local Small Businesses: Meet Our Retreat Sponsors

The fall is a magical time for us here at Lady Farmer. And no, it’s not just because we get to cozy up with our dogs by the fire or watch the crisp sunrises through the yellowing leaves of the black walnut tree out back (although that’s pretty great)….

One of the best things about fall is, of course, our Slow Living Retreat! After months of planning and working and re-working and planning some more, we get to enjoy some real in-person quality time with some pretty incredible Lady Farmers, and that just might be the best thing ever. It’s so fun to hear, for example, that this weekend might be one of the first times you’ve eaten such local, nutrient dense, incredible food so consecutively, and that you might actually feel a difference in your body. Or that you might come away empowered to patch up that hole in your favorite pants instead of feeling like you have to buy new ones.

We have also been lucky enough to partner up with some amazing companies this year! They are small businesses with big impact, and with some of our favorite people behind them. We love working with them, and we love hanging out with them, so it’s really a win-win. In every case, they have prioritized quality over quantity and well-being over mere profit. They’re exactly what we like to embody when working with peer companies, which makes the whole process of getting this retreat together for our incredible community so much more special.

We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to some of our beautiful sponsors, without whom we would not be able to make this weekend happen. First up, we’ll be telling you about all the wonderful beverages that will be available to you 🙂

Sarah and Nate Walsh are firmly dedicated to the production and sales of premium wine. Nate Walsh is a career winegrower. Starting as a cellar rat at Horton Vineyards, in Central, Virginia, he went on to work in vineyards and wineries in the Willamette Valley and Central Otago before spending seven years as the winemaker and vineyard manager for Sunset Hills Vineyard, in Purcellville, Virginia, during a time of large expansion. It was during this time that he began searching for a site from which he knew one could create truly premium Virginia wine.

Sarah, conversely, comes from a background of fine dining, fine wine sales, and wine education. Beginning her career at restaurants in Chicago, Atlanta, and Northern Virginia, Sarah shifted into fine wine sales, working for a wholesaler/importer on the East Coast. She holds a Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust.

Sarah and Nate met in 2012, married in 2013, and founded Walsh Family Wine in 2014.

It all started with a broken coffee pot. Desperate for our daily caffeine fix, we finally learned how to use our pour over. Our world changed in an instant. The coffee we made wasn’t bitter like we were used to. It was well-balanced, clean, and flavorful. We want to share that joy of discovery with everyone who comes in contact with our beans. We want people to experience coffee the way it was meant to be – hand crafted with care.

With 7 years difference in age, siblings Brittany and Joseph never had much in common and hardly ever talked. The recession was in full swing when Brittany graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2008. She was struggling to find a job in her field and the bills were coming. Joey must have overheard her crying on the phone to their mom and stepped in to suggest she get a job at a tea shop.

Joey already enjoyed tea; something he shared with his mother and grandmother over dinner on Sundays. His primary objective in his occupational suggestion to his sister was her discount.

Brittany decided to apply and her first day on the job she was hooked. She took learning about tea into her own hands and every time she’d stop at her parents’ house, she’d bring some tea to share. Joey and Brittany drank many pots of tea together around the dining room and table and before they knew it, they had found a friendship.

We have proudly served the great people of the Mid-Atlantic region for decades from our independently owned offices in Annapolis Junction, MD. We have delivered Mountain Valley Spring Water to generations of loyal and informed consumers with the same underlying principle: World class water deserves world-class service. We want to know and talk to our customers personally. In a world of big impersonal businesses, we are proud to be a small business with a big focus on service to our customers.

In 1920, we made our first delivery of Mountain Valley Water to the White House of President Woodrow Wilson on the advice of his personal physician. Since that period Mountain Valley has been served to generations of US presidents and in the halls of Congress.

Today, Mountain Valley Mid-Atlantic continues to distribute that same refreshing, mineral-rich spring water directly to homes, businesses, restaurants, cafes, and retailers throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

PREMIUM AMERICAN SPRING WATER

Nestled in a remote valley surrounded by 2,000 acres of protected forest, The Mountain Valley’s source is the pristine result of a long journey through America’s untamed wilderness. The water coming from the spring today first fell as rain over 3,500 years ago. It has slowly filtered through granite-based aquifers before making its way to the surface. Every drop is unspoiled and premium in a way that no other water on Earth can claim.

WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL

The natural geological properties of the surrounding mountains make The Mountain Valley Spring Water unique. It’s sodium-free, naturally ionized, and rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium, giving it a remarkably refreshing taste revered by foodies and chefs alike. It was even named the “Best-Tasting Water in the World” – three times – at Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting.

In addition to these incredible beverage sponsors, we’d like to thank the following: